Colorado 4-H Project e-Record Selector
Project Resources >> General / Natural Resources Projects >> Sportfishing Project
4-H Sportfishing Project
Are you ready to start casting? This is a project that was made for Colorado. After all the best fishing sports in the country are in Colorado. In this project, you will soon discover that this project is more than just fishing. You will learn how to make your own fishing tackle, experience between fish, people and environment. You’ll also learn about casting methods, how to decide on the proper tackle and much more.
Step 3: Select Your Project
Unit 1 Take the Bait
This unit is for member’s ages 8-18 years old. Members will accomplish the following learning experiences:
- Try different casting methods
- How to select fishing tackle
- Learn the basics of aquatic ecology
Unit 2 Reel in the Fun
This unit is for member ages 8-18 years old. Members will accomplish the following learning experiences:
- Learn how to correctly tie different fishing knots
- Practice skills necessary for different types of casting
- Begin to make your own fishing tackle
- Learn more about the different characteristics of fish
- Recognize the importance of water quality for fish habitat
- Understand why fishing regulations are important
- Record fishing stories and uphold the fishing traditions
Unit 3 Cast into the Future
This unit is for member ages 8-18. Members will accomplish the following learning experiences:
- Design a fishing skill-a-thon
- Collect discarded materials to build your own artificial lures
- Identify different types of aquatic insects
- Learn how to keep a field journal
- Investigate different sportfishing issues
Step 4:
The items listed below are your project requirements. Select each in turn to access a Word Document. Once you have your document, please save it to your hard drive or other media before entering information.
- Colorado 4-H Sportfishing Project Tip Sheet
- 4-H Project E-Record for Family/Consumer Science and General Projects
- Sportfishing Supplement
- 4-H Sportfishing Template for the Specific Project Information page
Colorado State Fair and Local County Fair Exhibit Requirements
- Completed e-Record presented in a sturdy binder/notebook.
- In the e-Record on the page titled Specific Project Information you will need to record each fishing experience. You will find a template here that will help you. Include the date, location, type (pond, lake, reservoir, stream, river or other), name of body of water, if you catch fish (if no, what do you think the reason was for not catching fish), (if yes, include the following weather information about the day: time of day, air temperature, water temperature, cloud cover and other information about the weather.)
- Complete a Catch and Release Fish (for your 5 best fish & your 5 best fish, caught and released or your 5 best fish kept, depending on legal limits). Include species, length (nose to tail) and girth (around middle) and approximate weight. For an example of a Catch & Release form, click here and put it on the Specific Project Information page in the e-Record.
- Complete a Fishing Journal for each trip (whether you caught fish or not): Include rod and reel used; types of rig/bait/lure used; technique used; types for structure fished and other things you want to remember about this trip. For an example of a fishing journal, click here and put it on the Specific Project Information page in the e-Record.
- A display board is to be entered into the specific skill level area related to the exhibit. When using a display board, it is strongly recommended to use photos, drawings or other illustrations rather than actual items (i.e. rods, reels, other tackle or accessories). Educational materials shall not extend beyond the edges of display boards. (No Wooden Display Boxes) Exhibits may include display stand-alone items such as hand-wrapped rods or hand made lures. The standardized display board size 4' x 3' is to be used for 4-H projects.
- Hooks must be removed from lures and jigs when these items are used in an exhibit. The exceptions are artificial flies, which may be exhibited with functional hooks, but the hook points must be imbedded in material (i.e. rubber, dense cork, etc.) that will secure the flies and offer safety to the judges and other show officials.
- No knives to be displayed.
